Chapter Text
[BEACON HILLS]
The town of Beacon Hills wasn’t exactly what she had expected.
It was small. Plain. Inconsequential. With cookie-cutter houses and that suburban feel that made her lip curl. All in all, it should have been a boring town.
No one would have thought it was a beacon of mystical energy.
But Raven knew better.
It was that mystical energy that had drawn her here. Even from her place on the hill top, overlooking Beacon Hills, she could feel the power running through the earth, like the town was a heart – pulsing and alive. The power called to her, like a moth to flame. A siren song, urging to her to reach out and take it. She could steal it, drain it, take it all for herself. But she held back. Not only would the power be too much for her to handle, but she also didn’t want to meddle with the telluric currents. This town was to be her home for the foreseeable future, and she didn’t want to mess it up.
Just then, the wind caught up, making the leaves quiver in the trees. Raven lifted her head, taking a deep breath. There was that scent again - the scent she’d been following for the past few hours. A musky smell, with hints of amber and leather, that made the monster under her skin purr. It was a warm, woodsy smell, and it called to her.
She set off running, following the scent through the trees. The forest floor stayed skilfully silent beneath her feet, and in the distance, a piercing scream shattered the night. Raven didn’t stop running, despite the shiver that ran down her spin as she recognised that scream. The scream of a banshee. The harbinger of death, and sister to the Raven.
One mystery at a time… She thought.
She focussed on the pull in her gut that was leading her towards something unknown. The mystery owner of that woodsy scent.
After another twenty minutes of running, at which point the girl was only slightly out of breath, she burst into a clearing. Peering around, it didn’t take long for her to realise that it wasn’t a clearing, but a graveyard, with battered grey headstones and overgrown shrubs. Somewhere nearby, she could hear the movement of machinery and the pattering of sliding dirt. But that wasn’t what interested her. Instead, Raven focussed on the scent that had grown stronger, and as she stepped forward to follow it, she noticed a man standing on the edge of the tree-line across from her.
Him.
This guy, whoever he was, was the owner of the scent. He was the one she’d been looking for.
The Alpha.
She’d felt his ascension – his shift from beta to Alpha – two days ago, like a ripple through the earth. She always felt when a new Alpha was created, but something about this one was different. She wasn’t sure what yet, but she’d set out immediately to find him. And here he was.
It didn’t take long for the man to notice her, and when he did, his eyes snapped to hers. He was tall, buff, and wore a black leather jacket that seemed to accentuate his broad shoulders. His jawline was sharp and covered in dark stubble and his eyes were a bright, clear blue. Like the sky.
Neither of them spoke for a moment, too busy scanning the other, but Raven couldn’t ignore the strange fluttering in her gut. It wasn’t butterflies - no, she wasn’t romantic, never had been - it was more of a familial feeling. Like she’d known the man in front of her all her life. Where she would usually be tense and alert around strangers, her body felt relaxed. She felt safe.
Her mother had always told her this would happen. Whenever she came across one of their kind, she’d feel the tugging in her gut - the familial feeling, the protective urges, the warmth in her chest. It was the same for every one of her kind… those that were left anyway.
“Who are you?”
The man’s voice snapped Raven from her thoughts. His nostrils flared and his eyes glowed red, meaning he’d probable smelt the fact that she wasn’t human. It wasn’t like she was hiding it, and Raven let her eyes glow right back - a bright, indigo shade that had the Alpha stumbling back slightly. His whole face changed, shifting from caution to curiosity. She felt her smirk slipping into place on her face as the glow faded, and she took another few steps forward.
“My mother always told me to be wary of strange men in dark places.” She said, watching as the Alpha’s eyes narrowed.
“I have a feeling you can take care of yourself.” He replied.
Raven’s smirk grew.
“You can never be too careful.”
“What are you?” The Alpha said, his expression hardening, possibly to appear threatening - not that it worked.
“Ladies first.” Raven purred, earning herself a growl. When she didn’t back down though, the man sighed and looked to the ground before peering back up at her.
“My name’s Derek Hale.” He said, “And I think you know exactly what I am.”
His eyes glowed red again, and Raven hummed, cocking her head to one side.
“Wolf.” She said simply. Derek nodded.
“Your turn.” He said.
She stayed silent a moment longer. Despite the feeling of safety she got around this man, she couldn’t help the deep-rooted instincts not to trust anyone. But then again, she’d come to Beacon Hills for an Alpha. And here he was. He’d given her his name, revealed his Alpha status through his eyes – not that she hadn’t already been aware – and from the lack of other scents around him, Raven would guess that he didn’t have a pack yet. That was a lot of potentially dangerous information he’d given away, and in order to gain his trust she would have to give him some information in return. That was how packs worked, right? They trusted each other.
“My name is Raven Ramirez.” She said, “And as to what I am… I am my namesake.”
Derek’s eyebrows furrowed, staring at her with a slight tilt to his head. But it didn’t take him long to realise.
“Raven.” He breathed, his eyes widening, “You’re a Raven.”
She nodded.
“But-“ Derek contained, “Ravens… I thought they were extinct.”
Raven shook her head with a humourless smile.
“Not extinct.” She said, “Close, but… not quite.”
Derek let out a heavy breath, as though the news had physically winded him. She wouldn’t have been surprised. Ravens were famously rare in today’s world. Not only had they been hunted to near extinction, but it was also very rare for them to be born at all. Her mother had always told her it had something to do with balance. Ravens were more powerful than many other supernatural creatures, and therefore the universe had decided to limit their numbers.
“What brings you to Beacon Hills?” Derek asked, his caution returning.
“You do, Mr Hale.” Raven replied with a raise of her eyebrows, “Whenever there’s a new Alpha around, people tend to take notice. You’re lucky it’s me that found you first.”
“Well- what do you want?”
She smirked at his question.
“You’re alone.” She said, watching as Derek narrowed his eyes at her - again, “An Alpha is only as strong as his pack, and right now, you are seriously lacking.”
“You want to join my pack?” He said.
“Don’t kid yourself, Derek.” Raven replied, “You have no pack. But I’m willing to help you build one.”
“Derek huffed, glancing away into the woods before turning his eyes back on her.
“Why?” He pushed, “Why do you want to help me?”
Raven paused, thinking about how to answer. She wasn’t quite sure what made her give up her old life to come to Beacon Hills. All she knew was that the ripple this new Alpha had created was so different to the others, that she’d immediately been intrigued. It was like her whole body had come alive. Her heart beat slightly faster, her blood hummed, and the world came into focus. And somewhere in her, she knew this was the signal she needed to stop running and start fighting. She was a Raven, and that meant she had a job to do.
“Do you know what a Raven is?” She said, finally, “Do you know what role we play?”
Derek remained silent, so Raven continued.
“Ravens are Guardians.” She said, “Much like how a pack can have an emissary, it can also have a Raven. But the Raven does not offer advice. She offers protection, wisdom, and loyalty.”
She paused, allowing her words to sink in. Derek was watching her with something akin to fascination.
“Ravens strengthen pack bonds.” She continued, “They promote trust and loyalty. And their most important role will always be to protect their pack mates.”
She took a deep breath, looking Derek directly in the eyes.
“I can’t be a Guardian, if there’s no one to protect.”
This seemed to get through to the Alpha, as his gaze softened, and he took another step towards her. This time though, his shoulders were relaxed and his expression was open.
“My mother always taught me that to welcome a Raven into the pack, would be our greatest honour.” He said, his lips twitching upwards slightly, “My mother was usually right.”
Raven grinned, victory flickering in her eyes. She would have a pack. She would have an Alpha. She would get to put her Raven powers to good use, and actually protect someone for once. She would be everything her mother had promised for her.
“So,” She said, crossing her arms, “where do we start?”
***
[BEACON HILLS CEMETERY]
Isaac was working the graveyard shift. Quite literally. He was sat in the backhoe, late at night, trying to dig a grave for tomorrow’s funeral. He hated this job. Being alone in the graveyard at night was always freaky, but he guessed it was better than being at home… with his Dad.
He lifted his fingers to his cheek, gently pressing on the skin around his eye. It was tender and sore, and would definitely look bad tomorrow. There was nothing he could do about it though, and by this point, he was used to it.
Suddenly the sound of a branch snapping drew Isaac from his thoughts. The rustling of leaves followed soon after, and the curly-haired boy was sure he heard footsteps. But as he peered around, there was nothing in sight. Nothing but the same old gravestones he always saw.
Or at least, that’s what he thought, until the lights of the backhoe landed on an old headstone, and Isaac was sure he could make out a set of deadly-looking claws.
“What the hell?” He muttered, squinting to try and work out if he was hallucinating. The claws had disappeared from sight, but that didn’t make him feel any better.
The sound of footsteps came from somewhere to his left, and then his right, and then, in the darkness, Isaac could make out two glowing golden orbs getting rapidly closer.
A moment later, the machinery was overturned and the boy was sent tumbling into the open grave. Shattered glass fell down on top of him, but luckily nothing pierced his skin. He could hear growling and shuffling from above, but he daren’t move. He didn’t want to attract the attention of whoever - or whatever - was up there. He tried to keep his breathing even and quiet, but the darkness and the cramped space was making it difficult. Claustrophobia - another thing to thank his dad for.
Note the sarcasm.
Isaac couldn’t even see the night sky above him, because the machinery was blocking the way, but moonlight filtered through from somewhere, lighting up his face. He was buried - in the grave he’s just been digging.
How ironic.
Trying to stay quiet, he reached up to dig his hands into the soil around the edge of the grave. He pulled himself up, his head peeping over the edge. From the light of the moon, he could just about make out a figure digging through a nearby grave. At the horrifying sight, his grip loosened and he fell back into the hole with a thud, curling in on himself to hopefully escape detection.
He was trapped. In a grave. With some kind of monster nearby.
He didn’t want to die.
He didn’t think anyone would notice if he did, but that made him want to live even more. He wanted to have friends. He wanted to be noticed. He wanted to be more than the ‘grave-digger’ boy that didn’t talk to anyone.
Most of all, he wanted to escape his Dad.
He just wished his escape didn’t have to come in the form of death by a terrifying grave-robber.
But just then, as his breathing was nearing panic-attack-level, the machinery began to move. Suddenly, Isaac could see the sky again, and his heartbeat levelled out just a little. He was still scared - terrified actually - but at least he wasn’t trapped anymore.
He waited with bated breath, listening as hard as he could for any sign that the monster was still out there. But then a face came into view above him. A handsome face, with a sharp jawline and sky blue eyes. He didn’t look like a monster…
A moment later, another face appeared beside the first, but this was the face of a girl. A girl with bright green eyes and a devilish smile. Her hair was so black it appeared to have a bluish sheen in the moonlight, as she crouched down at the opening of the grave.
“Hey kid.” She said, glancing up at the man beside her before looking back down at him, “You need a hand?”
Isaac nodded hesitantly, and took the hand that the man extended to him, but he kept his eyes on the girl. As wicked as her smile was, she didn’t seem quite as frightening as the guy. Not to mention the fact that she was beautiful.
“What’s your name, kid?” The man asked.
“Isaac.” He croaked out, “Isaac Lahey… sir.”
He added the ‘sir’ as an afterthought, not wanting to offend the stranger. The stranger didn’t seem to care though, as he pointed at his face.
“How’d you get the black eye, Isaac?” The man continued.
Isaac was shocked that he asked. He looked between the guy and the girl, trying to hide his panic. The girl had moved to lean against a nearby tree, but her eyes seemed to follow his every move.
“S-school.” He stuttered out, finally, going with his usual lie, “L-lacrosse.”
“Lacrosse, huh?” The man said, crossing his arms with a small, knowing smile, “I was always into basketball myself.”
Isaac didn’t know what to say to that, so he remained silent.
“We got all sorts of injuries in basketball.” The man continued, “I’m sure it’s the same in lacrosse, but I happen to know that that injury, isn’t from lacrosse.”
The curly-haired boy froze.
“I also know that it isn’t the first injury you’ve had…” The man left the sentence hanging in the air. It was pretty clear what he was implying, and Isaac wasn’t sure if he was scared that the man had found out, or relieved that someone else finally knew. The man seemed to see the indecision in his eyes, as he uncrossed his arms and took a step forward.
“What if I told you all of this could go away?” He said, his voice authoritative, but his eyes kind, “The injuries, the fear.”
Isaac’s eyes widened.
“What if I told you that you could be free. That you could be strong. That you could have the power to stop injuries like this one” - he pointed at the black eye - “from happening.”
Isaac looked over to the girl, hoping for confirmation that this wasn’t some big joke. The girl’s face remained impartial, but her eyes glittered with hope and promise.
“The power I can give you,” The man continued, “does come with a price. It may be dangerous. It will challenge you. But the question is, is it worth it?”
Isaac gulped. He didn’t know what this man was offering, but it sounded good. Too good. Even with the dangers… he would pay whatever price to be free from his Father.
“What is it?” He asked, wanting to know a few more details before signing up.
As the man grinned and began talking, Isaac’s eyes grew wider and wider. He could feel himself trembling and it wasn’t from the cold.
Lycanthropy. The man was talking about Lycanthropy.
He was offering Isaac the chance to be…
A werewolf.
He thought about it, he really did. He weighed up what the man was saying. Hadn’t he just been thinking of how much he wanted an escape? Of how he didn’t want to die a nobody, with no friends, too afraid to stand up to his Father?
Dangers? Being hunted? Turning into a raging beast that could tear people in half once a month…? That sounded like a significant improvement from his current situation.
If this gift… the bite… if it would truly give him the power to escape his father - to escape his hits, to escape his rage, to escape the freezer - then it had to be worth it. Right?
Once again, as though sensing his indecision, the older man spoke.
“Come find me when you’ve made your decision.” He said, turning to walk away, “There’s an abandoned rail station not far from here. I’ll be waiting.”
With that, he disappeared back into the night, the emerald-eyed ravenette not far behind.
***
[THE ABANDONED RAILWAY STATION]
After the meeting with the curly-haired boy – Isaac – Raven followed her new Alpha back to an abandoned train station. It was underground, dusty, and in need of a little TLC, but it was still pretty cool.
“So,” She said, hopping on to a rusty old train-carriage and lounging on one of the seats, “with you, me, and a possible wolfy beta, we’ve got the beginnings of a pack.”
“Yup.” Derek replied, throwing his leather jacket on to the seat next to me.
“Have you got plans to turn others?” Raven continued, watching her Alpha in her usual hawk-like way.
“Yup.” He said, making the girl roll her eyes.
“You gonna share with the class?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?” Raven replied, sticking her lower lip out like a pouty child. Derek only sighed in response and continued doing whatever it was he was doing in the back of the carriage.
“Fine.” She continued, “But what was that thing at the graveyard? Another werewolf?”
“I don’t know.” Derek said, finally moving back towards her, taking the seat opposite, “It looked like a werewolf, but… we don’t usually dig up bodies. Unless you’re Scott, of course.”
He said that last bit under his breath, and Raven furrowed her eyebrows, curious. Derek moved on before she could question it though.
“If it was a werewolf, he won’t make it long on his own.” He said.
“Why?” Raven replied, not liking his tone of voice.
“There are Hunters in town.”
“Shit.” She cursed quietly.
Hunters. She hated Hunters. She didn’t used to, although she’d never liked them. But ever since that day…
She hated them.
“Are you going to tell me a little about yourself?” Derek asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. She quickly donned a smirk and willed her eyes not to share the pain she felt.
“What do you want to know?” She said.
“Where are you from?”
“Cadiz, originally. But I’ve moved around a lot.”
“Family?”
“My Mother was a Raven, my Father a werewolf. No siblings.”
“Where are your parents now?”
“Last I heard, my Father was with his pack in Northern Italy. My mother is buried in a cemetery in Lisbon.”
The pair fell silent as Derek digested the information. Raven didn’t mind talking about her Mother. It had been many years since she’d died, and she’d healed. She hadn’t moved on, not fully - you never do when you lose a loved one - but she’d learned to get on with her life to make her Mother proud.
Derek seemed to pick up on her calmness and so continued his questioning.
“How old are you?”
“That’s a tricky question.”
“How on earth is your age a tricky question?”
Raven laughed.
“Born-werewolves age differently, right?” She said, waiting for Derek to give her a hesitant nod, “Well, it’s kind of like that. My healing abilities – much like other werewolves – slows down the ageing process. So, I have the mind and body of a seventeen-year-old girl, but I’ve been alive for 26 years.”
“So, you’re 26?” Derek clarified.
“In human years.” Raven replied with a nod, “But I identify as seventeen.” She added a wink in at that last part.
The Alpha huffed a laugh and nodded, but still looked a little confused. He didn’t linger, however, and instead moved on to another question.
“What can you do?” He said, “As a Raven, I mean.”
“Well,” She replied, “I’m stronger than the average human, and I heal much faster too. I have an enhanced sense of smell and sight, but not hearing, and I inherited claws from my Father. I can also shift into an actual Raven, so that’s pretty cool.”
Derek raised his eyebrows, and his thoughts were clear. He’d expected more from a legendary Raven. But she wasn’t finished.
“I can sense life force.” She continued, “I’m more attuned to supernatural energies, but I can sense regular life forces too. And if I wish it, I can…” – she paused and fiddled with the silver ring on her finger – “I can steal that life force. I can steal it and use it for myself, or gift it to something else. It’s pretty scary though. It isn’t called the Gift of Death for nothing.”
The Alpha raised his eyebrows again, but this time he was impressed. The Gift of death was extremely rare, even among Ravens. Many claimed it was a form of Necromancy, and it always struck fear in any who knew of it. Derek, however, didn’t look afraid.
“Have you ever used it?” He asked, his voice much softer than before, as though he already knew the answer, “Have you ever stolen someone’s life force?”
Raven looked away, not wanting to see the understanding that shone in her Alpha’s clear blue eyes.
“Once.” She whispered, “A long time ago…”
Derek nodded but didn’t push anymore. Instead he stood up and left the carriage, calling over his shoulder.
“Get some sleep, Raven.” He said, “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
And so, Raven snuggled down in the seats of the old train, stealing Derek’s leather jacket to use as a blanket, and tried to sleep.
***
[BEACON HILLS CEMETERY]
“Why are we hiding in a forest?” Raven asked, grumpy that Derek had woken her up so early. She hadn’t slept well to begin with at the abandoned station, so getting up at 6am was just another thing to piss her off. Not that the Alpha had given her any explanation before rushing her out of the door either. He’d just snatched his leather jacket off her tired frame, and then raced off to his Camaro, with an antsy Raven trailing behind him.
“We need to check on Isaac.” Derek replied, pointing towards the graveyard where a bunch of police cars had just pulled up.
“Is he being questioned about the grave robbery?” She asked, taking in the scene. Police officers were scattered throughout the cemetery although most of them were centred around one open grave. To the right, she could see Isaac standing beside an older man - probably his Father - and his black eye stood out a lot more in the daylight.
“Yes.” The Alpha said, keeping his eyes trained on his possible new beta as he listened. He paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow.
“His Father really is a piece of work.”
“Yeah, well…” Raven replied, growling slightly, “I figured that out for myself thanks. What with the black eye, and the way the poor kid looks terrified just standing next to him.”
The pair fell into silence as Derek continued to listen, and Raven continued to watch. An officer - the Sheriff from the looks of his badge - was speaking to Isaac, and Mr Lahey was looking at his son with an expectant expression. Even though Raven couldn’t hear what they were saying, she was sure, just from the looks on their faces, that Isaac was having to lie about the bruise on his face. It made something inside of her snarl, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that horrid expression off Mr Lahey’s face. Hopefully breaking his nose in the process.
Raven focussed her attention back on Isaac, only to see him already watching her. His eyes - a beautiful dark blue colour - locked with hers, and she tried her best to give him a smile. He shifted his gaze to Derek, and back to her again. She swore that, having seen them, something in the boy’s eyes seemed to relax slightly, and it made her heart warm. She was glad that her Alpha had offered him the bite. Even now, before he’d even been turned, she could feel a connection to him. As though the universe knew that he would become a wolf, and therefore fall under her protection. As soon as Isaac turned back to the Sheriff, he tensed up again, and Raven felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Time to go.” Derek said, keeping his voice low. Raven didn’t reply. She just ran after him, disappearing into the woods and leaving Isaac behind.
***
[THE ABANDONED RAILWAY STATION]
“So Isaac’s safe.” Derek said as he pulled up in the Camaro back at the Station, “That’s good. I have a feeling he’ll be accepting the bite very soon.”
“Mentally, he’s already accepted.” She replied, nodding, “I can feel the Pack-connection.”
Derek smiled slightly.
“Good.” He said, “Now, I need to go to the school and check on something. You stay here. Do whatever you want, I don’t care. But it might be worth registering yourself for the local high school. That way you can keep an eye on Isaac, as well as the other werewolves in this town.”
Raven furrowed her eyebrows, but decided she’d ask later. She just nodded to show Derek she understood and then slid out of the car. She already had a plan for the day, and now that Derek was gone, it only made it easier.
As Derek drove away, Raven made her way down the metal stairs and into the abandoned station. She flicked a switch and the lights flickered on, revealing the worn down stone and rusty carriages. She wasn’t sure why Derek had chosen this place as his hideaway, but Raven knew it needed some work. Especially if it was going to become Pack HQ.
“Okay, Raven.” She muttered to herself, “Let’s get started.”
Her way of getting started was to turn around and walk right back outside. She needed to go to the Mall.
First though, she headed to the east side of town, running as fast as she could through the forest. She loved the feel of the air as it rushed past, and she couldn’t help but bask in the warmth of the winter sun on her skin. As soon as she reached the little backroad that circled around town, she slowed down, walking towards a large bush that looked slightly wonky. Behind it, right where she’d left it, was her motorbike. A 2008 Kawasaksi ZX-10R, painted all black with silver fastenings. When she’d first learned to drive, she’d had an old convertible corvette that her and her Dad had fixed up themselves when she was young. But cars could never really do it for her. She loved the feeling of power and balance when on a motorcycle. She loved the thrill when her knees almost scraped the ground and the wind ripped at her jacket. It was the closest she could get to flying in human form, and she loved it.
Wheeling the motorbike out from its hiding spot, Raven quickly donned her helmet and climbed on. The purr of the engine caused a shiver to run up her spine and she grinned, before gunning it and speeding out onto the road.
She drove quickly - but safely - in the direction of the Mall, making a list in her head of all the things she needed to buy.
On arrival, she dismounted, and pulled the helmet off of her head, ignoring the curious glances she was getting from all across the parking lot. Instead, she shook her head, letting her hair fall over her shoulders, and made her way inside.
***
[MALL]
An hour and about a dozen shops later, Raven was browsing around a boutique. She already had a load of shopping bags hung over her arms, but it didn’t bother her - her enhanced strength making them easy to carry. She’d been to the camping store, grabbing a few blow-up beds and lanterns. Then she’d visited a homey-looking store where she’d proceeded to buy a bunch of blankets and pillows. She’d been to the hardware store, the furniture shop, soap and bodyworks store, and the supermarket. Now she just wanted to find a few different outfits to add to her very limited wardrobe.
A skirt. A top. A pair of shoes and a jumper.
She lay item after item across her arm, before slowly making her way towards the till.
As the cashier scanned the clothes, Raven scanned the room. She could feel a strange itch on the back of her neck, and no matter how many times she scratched it, it wouldn’t go away. She was starting to think someone was watching her, but as she peered around the boutique, she couldn’t see anything suspicious. That was, until she spotted a head of bright red hair standing by the dress rack.
The woman wasn’t watching her - she wasn’t even looking this way - but Raven’s senses were on fire and her instincts screamed at her. She knew that woman.
Or more… she knew what she was.
Hunter.
Raven fought the fire inside of her, gritting her teeth to stop herself from growling. She took a deep breath. She couldn’t lose control. No here, not in public. But she couldn’t ignore the screaming in her ears or the distinct smell of blood that assaulted her nostrils.
“Raven, run!”
“I’m not leaving you!”
“You have to! You can’t let them find you!”
“No! No, come on! We can make it!”
The smell of ash and oil and the sickly scent of wolfsbane floated on the wind. Gunshots echoed in the distance, followed by bouts of maniacal laughter.
“Go! Raven, go!”
“That’s $59.99.”
The voice of the cashier brought her back to the present, and Raven tried to smile as she swiped her card. She quickly packed the clothes into a bag, and as soon as the payment was complete, she hightailed it out of there.
Hunters.
She hated them.
***
[THE ABANDONED RAILWAY STATION]
Loaded with shopping, Raven stumbled back down the stairs to the Station. She dumped her stuff on the floor and gazed around, wondering where to start. She had a plan - she could see it in her mind - she just needed to make it a reality. So she got to work.
It took hours and hours… and hours. But she finally got it right.
The old, worn down station had been transformed into what Raven could only describe as a Den. A Wolf Den.
On the left hand side, by the stairs, Raven had set up a table, with camping chairs and a box of plates and cutlery nearby. An old fridge that had already been down there - presumably left by Derek - had been cleaned and was now well-stocked with food that could be cooked on the gas-cooker that Raven had placed a few feet away.
To the right, she’d also set up a small living area, with bean bags and cushions and a box full of snacks. From Derek’s choice in Isaac, Raven could only assume he’d go after more teenagers, so she figured snacks were very important. And if no one else ate them, then she definitely would.
Two of the train carriages now acted as a bedrooms - one for girls, one for boys - with blow up beds, blankets and pillows. Raven had also thrown in a few oversized T-shirts and pyjama bottoms, in case Isaac or anyone else in their future pack needed clothes to sleep in, and she’d hung lanterns all throughout the station, just to make it a little more homely.
The last thing she’d done was clean the old bathrooms. It had been an extremely disgusting job, but Raven was glad she’d done it, because now she had clean toilets, and a relatively nice shower area, stocked full of soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner.
Looking around at her work, Raven sighed. She felt accomplished, and couldn’t wait for Derek to get home to see what she’d done. She wasn’t entirely sure what time it was, but it must have been getting late.
She moved towards the now-living area and flopped down onto a bean bag. It had taken multiple trips on her bike to get everything back to the Station, and the squishy seats had been one of the most difficult to carry. Totally worth it though. Raven reached over to grab a packed of Oreos from the snack box and munched happily, humming to herself. Now that it looked somewhat homely, she really liked the Station. She was thinking of officially changing its name to the Den though. That would be way cooler. It made her feel like a villain in one of those old spy movies, with the underground lair and the wicked code names. All she needed now were sharks with frickin’ laser beams and she’d be all set {A/N: SORRY, LITTLE AUSTIN POWERS JOKE THERE}.
A few minutes later, Raven heard the sound of metal scraping on metal, and the distinct clattering of someone walking down the stairs. Dusting Oreo crumbs off her lap, she stood up and waited for Derek to appear. When he did, he seemed to freeze in shock. His face morphed between outrage and appreciation, and Raven had to bite her lip to stop from laughing.
“Do you like it?” She said, smirking as Derek climbed down the last few steps.
“What the hell did you do?” He replied, his eyebrows practically touching his hairline at this point.
“Oh, you know,” Raven said, “just tidied the place up a bit. Added some furniture, a few beds, stocked the fridge. Now it’s actually habitable.”
“It was habitable before!” Derek argued.
“Maybe for a savage like you.” She replied, “But for me, and for who knows how many others in the future, this place needs to be comfortable.”
“How did you even afford all this?”
“I have money.” She said, “And no, you’re not allowed to ask where I got it from.”
The Alpha still looked incredulous.
“It’s for the Pack, Derek.” Raven continued, “I know it’s just the two of us right now, but soon it’s going to get bigger, and we’re all going to need a place to meet, train, and possibly sleep. This is it. This is our Wolf Den.”
Derek’s eyes stopped scanning the improved Station and instead settled on her. There was something like awe, and possibly respect, shining behind the shock, and it made Raven smile.
“The Den?” The Alpha said, sounding somewhere between annoyed and amused, “Really?”
“Yes.” She replied, “The Den. Now come on in and tell me what you’ve been up to! I get the feeling you’ve had a busy day.”
Derek didn’t need to be told twice, as he took off his leather jacket and went to collapse onto the biggest of the bean bags. Raven went to the fridge to grab a couple of sodas and then made her way back to the living area. Having passed over a can to her Alpha, she folded herself into another of the bean bags, and motioned for Derek to start talking.
“Well,” He began after taking a sip of his drink, “I just saved Scott from being chopped in half.”
Raven nodded as though this was an every day occurrence.
“Excellent, excellent.” She said, “And may I ask, who’s Scott?”
“Scott’s another werewolf.” Derek sighed, “He was turned by my uncle a couple of months ago, but refuses to join my Pack.”
“Right. And the whole chopping-in-half thing… I’m guessing the Hunters are responsible.”
“Yup.”
Raven nodded again, ignoring the way her heart clenched and bile rose in her throat as old memories began to surface. She pushed them away as soon as they came, and tried to focus on the conversation.
“Okay, so, what were you up to this morning?” She said, taking another sip of her drink to remove the taste of sick from her mouth, “You said something about the school.”
“I checked on a student there.” Derek replied, frowning, “I bit him a few days ago. I wanted him to join the Pack but a) he’s refusing me, and b) his body is rejecting the bite.”
“Rejecting the bite?” Raven asked, leaning forward slightly.
“Yup.” Her Alpha said, “There was black blood coming from his nose and ears. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
The pair fell into silence once again as they continued sipping their drinks. It wasn’t a tense silence, despite the conversation topics. Instead, it was a companionable silence - like the two of them had been sitting down together and recounting their days for their entire lives. Raven could feel the Pack-bond between them, and it calmed something primal inside her. She’d always been adventurous, flighty… constantly moving from place to place because she could never settle. She’d never wanted to. But now that she had an Alpha… now that she had a role in a Pack… it felt like coming home after a very long day. She may be tired, or hurt, or just downright grumpy, but she had somewhere safe to go, and she knew that she trusted her Alpha to take care of her. And, in return, she would take care of him.
Suddenly, a clanging rang out, breaking the silence, and the wolf and the raven shot up from their seats.
“Isaac.” Derek whispered.
Raven nodded in response and moved to turn the lights out. She was pretty sure Isaac wanted to join them, but if he didn’t - if he decided to refuse - it would probably be best that he wasn’t made aware that the Station was their home. By cutting off the lights, the boy wouldn’t be able to see the furniture or the blankets, and so would hopefully believe this was just a meeting place.
Derek moved towards the Carriages, opting to stand in an entry way, and Raven went to stand next to him. She leaned against the cold metal with her arms crossed, waiting for Isaac to make his way down the stairs. In the darkness, they could see his flashlight moving closer, and just a moment later, the light shifted and fell on them.
***
When Isaac saw them, his eyes widened. He wasn’t afraid. No. He was excited. He’d made his decision, and now all he needed was the man to change him. The man - Derek Hale. A wanted fugitive not that long ago, but currently a free man.
“Have you made your decision?” Hale asked, stepping out of the train carriage he’d been standing in. The girl - the ravenette with the emerald eyes - stood behind him, leaning against the doorway.
“Y-yes.” Isaac replied, willing his voice to stay steady.
“And?” Hale said, smiling slightly. He looked like he already knew the answer.
Isaac glanced over the man’s shoulder, locking eyes with the girl. She winked at him, and he felt a surge of confidence. This was the right decision. This was the right thing to do. He’d have power. He’d have strength. And, from what he could tell about how a Pack worked, he’d have family.
That’s all he really wanted.
Not a Father that abuses him and locks him in the freezer. Not an empty house with two locked rooms where his Mother and Brother used to sleep. No. He wanted a real home, and a real family.
“I want it.” He said, his voice much clearer now, “I want the bite.”
Derek Hale grinned, turning to share a look with the beautiful girl behind him, before turning back to face him.
“Well then, Isaac,” He said, his eyes glowing red, “Welcome to the Pack.”